Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #197733 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 464 pages

Synopsis
Fans of Kim Harrison and Laurell K. Hamilton won't want to miss this action-packed supernatural debut featuring a young woman who discovers she has the ability to detect evil and a perilous destiny as a member of the enigmatic Zodiac. Joanna Archer knows all about darkness. Raped at age 16, she's spent the last 9 years watching the dark side of humanity. By day she's an heiress and photographer in Vegas. By night she prowls the forsaken streets looking for revenge...and the chance to exorcise the demon within. Until a chance date turned horrific reveals a world beyond the bright lights and big action of Sin City - an otherworld filled with supernatural forces where Light and Dark war with each other. Only the brave members of the Zodiac - twelve men and women endowed with magical abilities - can keep evil at bay. And with a mysterious legacy from her mother and preternatural fighting skills, Joanna could be one of them...if she survives long enough. Because the demons are hunting Joanna, and the powers of darkness want her for their own.

Customer Reviews

Vicki sparkling start
OK, initially I was put off this book with part of the book blurb where its announced that the character was assaulted previously to the tale. Shocked at this as well as being left to wonder how big a part this would play with the book I really did delay reading it until a time that my To Be Read pile had shrunk to very little. So intrepidly I picked it up and started it expecting to not enjoy the tale and thus feeling like I'd wasted my time. Surprisingly I loved this book, it took a different take on the superhero mythos and also gave the reader a good vs evil battle that they could sink their teeth into where they could cheer on the side that they wanted as well as seeing how devious the author was with mixing reality and fiction.
A cracking story although I still think that book back requires a little rewriting as whilst that part of the characters past does enter into the story it isn't a strong feature and thus could put others off. A great start to a new series and is something that will make this author a name to watch.

Fans of Anita Blake should enjoy
Great action sequences featuring a tough yet vulnerable girl - Jo Archer.

The mythology of the series is new and I had to go back a few paragraphs to grasp the history but overall, I was impressed with the flow of the story, Jo's personality and love life and I am sure that fans of Anita Blake before the whole sex-every-few-pages storyline will enjoy Jo's outlook.

I am up to book 3 and eagerly await book 4!

"Zodiac" series book 1
At the tender age of 15, Las Vegas heiress Joanna Archer spends a blissful weekend with her boyfriend Ben Traina until her younger sister Olivia turns up announcing their father intends to send her to juvenile hall if she doesn't return home promptly. During their return journey Joanna is attacked; savagely raped and beaten and left for dead in the desert. Yet somehow she survives and spends nearly ten years honing her body into a weapon capable of killing. Now with her 25th birthday rapidly approaching, strange events are occurring; a blind date attacks her, she hits a vagrant with her car and witnesses his rapid healing with her own eyes before he states that she is the prophesised first sign and her beloved Ben Traina returns to her life.

Since her attack Joanna has certainly changed; she hunts the streets of Las Vegas at night under the guise of a photographer, but in reality she is searching for the face of her attacker and intends to kill him. Yet suddenly she discovers she is part of a supernatural war raging secretly throughout Las Vegas between Shadow warriors and Light; 12 members on each side who each represent a sign of the zodiac. If she survives her metamorphosis into her third life which will take place on her 25th birthday she will assume the role of Sagittarius; The Archer and fully embrace her supernatural skills. Yet those of the Shadow fully intend she never reaches 25 and will not only kill her, but those she loves deeply to prevent her taking her place in Zodiac Troup 175; division of anti-evil Las Vegas.

Wow, wow and wow again; "The Scent of Shadows" is absolutely amazing. Although written in the first person, this works extremely well as Joanna struggles to not only accept her new role, but also overcome further heart ache and irrevocable changes in her life. There is action, followed by more action, and yep a whole load more as she faces off her enemies and struggles for acceptance from the Light warriors; whilst attempting to protect those she loves and uncover the mysteries surrounding her parentage. I have already ordered book 2 "The Taste of Night" and book 3 "The Touch of Twilight" and am now left impatiently awaiting their arrival.